Even as uncertainties still lurk in most industries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, almost half of Australian businesses are optimistic and are increasing headcount in 2021.

Business leaders quickly adjusted to the workplace challenges by implementing flexible or remote work setup, digitisation and digital transformation, and improvement procedures on internal communication. Job seekers need to carefully consider these new workplace policies and procedures that impact salaries and level the competition. They also need to stay informed about salary trends to pick the best career path.

Shane Perry, Max Funding financial expert notes, “Workplace flexibility emerged as one of the topmost company strategies benefitting both the company’s continued operation while allowing employees to work from home during the lockdowns. Most businesses expressed to continue the set-up but with a combination of remote work and at the workplace as the pandemic eases.”

Technology is also pivotal to the operations and advancement of businesses in 2021. Job seekers need to be familiar with communication tools for real-time communication, cloud storage, and file-sharing to access company files anywhere.

The economy went downhill due to the pandemic and only a few sectors remained unaffected. Amidst the challenges, the technology, financial services, and construction industries continued to hire talents and offer higher-paid roles.

On the other hand, workers who have been laid off from their previous jobs have to take advantage of upskills to be prepared for new work arrangements. A more skilled worker would also more likely to get higher pay. To kickstart job applications, aspirants should look into the country’s highest-paid jobs in 2021.

We have listed the top ten highest paying jobs in Australia in 2021, reported by IDP.

As the demand for technology surges, most of the highest paid jobs are in the IT sector. Companies have started to invest in IT solutions for digital products. Construction industries, along with the medical field, also joined the top spots.

1. IT Systems Architect

Average salary: AUD 139,690

2. Engineering Manager

Average salary: AUD 132,350

3. IT Manager

Average salary: AUD 125,660

4. IT Security Architect

Average salary: AUD 124,190

5. Analytics Manager

Average salary: AUD 118,820

6. Cloud Engineer

Average salary: AUD 111,590

7. Construction Manager

Average salary: AUD 111,390

8. Wellbeing Manager

Average salary: AUD 110,520

9. Doctor/Physician

Average salary: AUD 103,400

10. Data Scientist

Average salary: AUD 99,510

If you want to work in an environment that inspires professional growth, the passionate specialists in Digital, Technology, Sales & Marketing recruitment of Redwolf + Rosch can help you determine the next best move of your career.

As a Digital, IT, Sales & Marketing recruitment consultancy, Redwolf + Rosch partners with top companies, start-ups, and agencies to find talented people that want to do fantastic work. We bridge talents and employers to fit the right person in the right company.

Browse our extensive job listing to check the available job positions suitable for you. Employers could likewise search for talents here.

Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

Author: Jett Hayes

Jett Hayes is a freelance writer based in Sydney with a special interest in content marketing.

He enjoys writing about trends and developments in all areas including technology. 

The gradual easing of lockdown restrictions can bring much-longed-for opportunities to see our friends and family, be able to walk around and hang out at the park, or pop back into the office. 

It gives us a bit of that ‘normal’ we’ve so desperately been craving. But for many, the easing of lockdown and social distancing restrictions is giving them a wave of unease, an emerging phenomenon that mental health experts are noticing: Anxiety about life after lockdown.

People who live with anxiety are prone to overthinking stepping back out into the world. The lifting of lockdown restrictions come with a lot of things, for many of us, even small and happy changes can mean nerves and agitation. And with the discussion still ongoing about the science behind many of the things we fear, even the semblance of normal that we’ve been craving can mean nothing compared to the worry that comes with it.

When the lockdown started, it was all uncertainties, one after the other. But just as you were able to bravely get through that, trust that the wave of uncertainties that the end of lockdown would be bringing forth will be something that you’ll be able to get through as well. 

It took us time to find ways to cope during the lockdown, coming out of it should be no different. Expect that you will take time to find your way back into the “old normal”.

Just as they were crucial during the beginning of lockdown, eating well, staying connected, finding healthy routines, and doing regular exercise are just as important (if not more so) now that we’re gearing up to step back out into the world.

We might all be going through the same pandemic, but always remember that we’re not all going through it in the same way. Your situation is unique to you, so don’t judge yourself based on what others are doing. The best thing you can do is face your own challenges and move through them the best way that you can.

Coping with fear and anxiety after lockdown

Fear and anxiety might be the most common emotional response to the easing of lockdown restrictions. Going into lockdown, we had to power through finding ways to cope. In the process, we may have found or created safe spaces that we’re not quite ready to leave yet as the distancing restrictions are lifted.

Another obvious reason the easing of lockdown restrictions can bring dread is the fear that we might catch the virus and pass it off onto one of our friends or loved ones, and the more you interact with people, the higher the chances become. This response is also normal, and the risks of catching the virus and passing it can be greatly reduced by following guidelines.

It’s important to acknowledge that these reactions and responses are normal. The only way to move through these fears is by gently building up tolerance towards them.

For many of us, the coronavirus pandemic has heightened our anxiety or has made other mental health issues worse. Adjusting back into things might take a while, and adjusting to new sets of rules and guidelines might take even longer. If possible, take things at your own pace. But also remember that there’s nothing wrong with challenging yourself to try something new or overcoming something each day.

The lockdown has created a quiet space for many of us and going back into the hustle and bustle of the outside world might lead to a bit of a sensory overload and could take a bit of getting used to. Headphones could help with this by creating distractions with music, podcasts, and even calls.

How to pick up our social lives after lockdown

Moving out of lockdown might mean the possibility of being able to pick our social lives back up, albeit with lots of new guidelines and changes. Some of us couldn’t wait to be able to see our friends again, while there are others who are understandably nervous about doing so or might not even be able to given their situation.

If you’re part of a social group where some members won’t be able to rejoin group outings and activities just yet, make sure you still find ways to include them.

As earlier mentioned, there might be some of us who fell into comfortable quietness during the lockdown, and we might need to step outside of the old comfort zone in order to overcome initial awkwardness to reconnect and re-engage with people.

Many of the things that we’re all about to face will be new to us. It could be insisting on social distancing restrictions among friends and family, remembering when and where to wear a mask, not stopping by for a chat when you see a friend at the grocery, and so on. All we could do as we’re collectively trying to find the right footing is to do our best at following guidelines, being understanding, and being kind.

Need to chat about reintegrating back into onsite work again? 

Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

Diversity in the workforce involves hiring people from different cultures, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, races, religious affiliations, viewpoints, gender, education, personalities, skills, and so on. But it also goes beyond filling in gaps within brackets and balancing out ratios.

Why is diversity in the workplace so crucial? And why is hiring a diverse workforce critical to the success of a business?

Being intentional about making diversity in the workplace a priority can lead to many different benefits. Here are just a few of them.

Bigger talent, skill, and creativity pool

As humans, there are a lot of things that are similar about us, but at the end of the day, we are all still our own person and can bring many different things to the table.

Hiring people with different personalities, from different backgrounds and at different stages in their career can help foster creativity and offer a range of ideas and perspectives. 

Having a wide range of people coming from different places and experiences within the team can also mean team members can learn plenty from each other.

Creativity and Innovation

Working with people who have different skills, working styles, and viewpoints can give rise to worthwhile creative concepts from bouncing ideas off of each other and offering suggestions and different perspectives.

Where one team member might be great at coming up with exciting and creative ideas, another might have the necessary technical skills to execute them. That’s why it’s essential to play on each individual’s strengths and foster collaboration within teams. 

And with diversity in the mix, your team can become more creative and more adaptable to change. 

Better ROI

Diversity can also impact your company’s bottom line and can lead to a better return on investment. According to McKinsey & Company, they analysed 366 public companies across a range of industries. 

They found out that those that were in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity were 35% more likely to have financial returns that exceeded their national industry medians. While those that were in the top quartile for gender diversity were 15% more likely to go above financial performances in their industry medians. 

You might be wondering what’s at play here. While there might be a lot, a big piece of the puzzle is definitely improved decision-making.

Teams that are more diverse are less likely to be prone to groupthink (the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility), they can look at facts from different views and perspectives, then make better choices from there. 

Better employee recruitment and improved retention

It’s not just employers who have made diversity a point of their focus, employees are doing the same when they’re on the lookout for potential companies to work for. 

As a matter of fact, according to a September 2020 Glassdoor survey, 76% of job seekers consider diversity an important factor when considering companies and job offers.

And beyond getting top talent through your door, diversity and inclusion can also go a long way in keeping top talent in your company. A 2018 Deloitte survey found that 69% of employees see their workplace as more motivating and stimulating when their leadership teams are more diverse.

Ready to hire a diverse team of great individuals?

Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

Workplace culture is your company’s character and personality. When you talk about which parts of an organisation make it a great one to work for, the two most mentioned things are compensation and a company’s culture.

A lot of managers and executives believe that these two factors should be enough to attract and retain talent to their company. Some companies inadvertently commit the mistake of letting workplace culture form naturally without defining what they would like for it to be or taking an active part in its formation.  You should be defining and demonstrating the culture that you want the company to be running on for your employees, not the other way around.

The culture in your company is influenced by a lot of things such as leadership, management, workspace practices and policies, and more. It’s how people treat each other and what they expect of themselves and each other. 

Workplace culture is as crucial as a business strategy is because it can either strengthen or undermine your organisation’s objectives, among other things. Here are a few more reasons why workplace culture matters and why your company should prioritise it.

The Importance of Workplace Culture

Workplace Culture attracts (and retains) great talent

Compensation and brand value might be what attracts top talent the most, but those aren’t the only things that candidates evaluate your company for. A positive, strong, and well-defined workplace culture is a big deciding factor in retaining not just any talent, but the most ideal fit for your company’s personality and objectives.

Workplace Culture drives engagement, motivation, and performance

Culture has a big impact on how employees engage and interact with each other and their work. A positively cultivated workplace culture definitely has a positive effect on not only engagement but performance as well. Simply put, the more comfortable and positive an employee feels in the environment where they work and the people they interact with can significantly increase motivation.

Workplace Culture directly impacts happiness and satisfaction

Research by Deloitte suggests that employee happiness and satisfaction is directly linked to workplace culture. And it’s not surprising. A positive work environment impacts the way we think, act, and analyse things. Since we spend so much of our lives at work, naturally, if an employee is happy, it will not only reflect on their growth as a person, but it will be evident in their output at work as well. We don’t know about you but that sounds like a win-win to us!

If you want your employees to foster a sense of pride and “ownership” towards the company, positive and genuine workplace culture is definitely a non-negotiable. And when people take pride, it becomes easier for them to invest their future in the organisation and working hard towards creating opportunities that will benefit them and the company becomes the natural thing to do.

Positivity in the workforce is a direct result of effective leadership and a positive management style. By identifying and rewarding the ones who are actively striving to create a positive work culture, you can encourage others to do the same. 

Want to further discuss workplace positivity and why you should strive towards creating a positive one for your company? 

Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

While it’s true that the pandemic has caused the unemployment rate to be at a record high, lots of companies are actually still hiring. And with the help of technology, job interviews are still being conducted — albeit not IRL.

So how do online interviews differ from in-person ones? And if your resume caught a potential employer’s eye, how should you prepare for the interview that’s being done via Skype or Zoom?

Online Interview Tips

Test your technology (and have a backup plan)

Even those of us who are very adept at using technology can still get a little overwhelmed by it from time to time. Make sure this doesn’t happen to you during your online job interview by getting comfortable with the application or method that the interviewer prefers (e.g. Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc.) ahead of time.

Test your tools such as your mic, headphones, and your internet connection before the interview, and always have a backup plan. Whether that’s an extra set of headphones or a backup internet connection, make sure you have a plan B.

Pick the perfect spot

Keep in mind that bad lighting can be just as distracting as a barking dog so pick a space that isn’t too dim but also isn’t painfully bright. If possible, natural light coming from a window is your best bet. Make sure you do this step at least 24 hours before your interview so you have a chance to test them out without having to rush moments before your interview. 

Eliminate distractions

This could mean turning the music off, closing the door and windows, switching your phone on silent, making sure the dog and the kids are attended to, and so on. On your computer, make sure the only tab that’s open is the video platform you’re using and any other necessary information you might need during the online interview. 

The standard dress code still applies

Some suggest you should even go a notch above the company’s dress code. A jacket is a great way to give your outfit that “extra” touch. And while it might seem odd, wearing your shoes during a video interview actually has more of an effect on you than you think.

Adam Sanders, director of Successful Release, an organisation that helps felons find work after reentering society, “It might seem strange to wear your shoes during a videoconference, but it has an important psychological effect on you.” so if you’ve been looking for a reason to wear your shoes in months, this is a great chance for you to finally do so.

Be conscious of your body language

Be extra aware of your nonverbal cues as body language is harder to read on video. Remember to nod and smile as the interviewer speaks, and sit up straight, just as you would during an in-person job interview.

Calm your nerves

If you tend to get nervous during job interviews, try practising your main talking points. Take a deep breath before the interview, remain calm, and remember to slow down. You’re far more likely to leave a lasting impression on the interviewer if you can communicate confidently. And a great way to relieve interview anxiety is by practising potential questions and answers ahead of the interview.

Boost your profile and get hired by an awesome company. Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

As a company, if there’s one lesson you should take from the Coronavirus Pandemic, it’s that in order to stay competitive, businesses need plenty of creativity and resourcefulness. 

After budget slashes, hiring freezes, and more budget slashes, organisations are left with a collective feeling of being beat. But the HR department could play an important role in cost reductions across the organisation.

No matter the department or tribe you belong to as a leader you should be considering both the short term and long term effects of the decisions you make, and the HR department is no exception. 

One example would be headcount reduction helping with cost reduction in the short term, but having longer-term negative effects such as demotivation and anxiety in the other remaining employees, which could then lead to lowered productivity and competitiveness.

In other words, giving plenty of thought to what the right HR reduction cost strategies for your organisation are of utmost importance. Here are a few to consider this 2021.

Pausing big software projects

There’s no reason to just leave this one out to the IT department. Freezing hiring for large software projects can be a smart play at reducing short term costs. You can always reconsider this decision once the IT department has had time to further assess things and determine whether there is sufficient value and funding to continue the project.

Looking into software license renewals  

Speaking of software… many of the software and cloud-based applications that HR and other departments use are licensed based on monthly or annual headcount. It’s important to look into the way these software companies invoice your organisation and ensure that the correct headcount is being used for the equation. 

Maybe you no longer need that whiz bang product you were sold 18 months ago and nobody seems to use? Maybe another program has recently increased functionality such as onboarding or EAP and you no longer need a separate application to do that? 

Reducing outsourcing work to third party companies

Look into things and where possible, department leaders could decide to bring in work done by third-parties in-house. 

It’s easy to overlook some things when we’re occupied by hectic and ongoing processes, but as things have been dwindling to near-stop or slowed down for some industries (or even departments within organisations), there could be enough time to analyse things and see which internal resources are available, what skill sets are required for certain projects, timelines and availabilities, and which ones can be done in-house.

Outsourcing nonessential work

On the flip side if there’s work in your organisation that is nonessential to your day-to-day operations, consider outsourcing it to a third-party. While this move might reduce headcount initially and could even cause a bit of friction, in the long run, it may help your company survive a sharp downturn and prevent more drastic cost cutting and headcount reduction measures. 

Engaging a part-time, temporary or contract workforce

Sometimes a full-time permanent employee is not needed to complete a piece of work and tightly assessing the requirements of each vacancy against the expected deliverables, it’s possible you may discover that instead of hiring a permanent employee, it may be more cost-effective to hire a part-time or contract employee. 

We often see very talented and experienced people (especially women) who have decided to re-enter the workforce after having a child but they can only commit to part-time work. Companies often ignore this highly capable segment of the workforce under the assumption that someone must be working full time in order to deliver value and be effective. 

Questioning this assumption and exploring part-timers can provide a mutual benefit to the company and to those individuals who only can work part-time. 

Hiring Freeze

This is probably one of the most common cost reduction practices and one that is often swiftly implemented within companies in the event of an economic decline. 

Make sure to reevaluate all your open positions because a full freeze might be necessary sometimes, but it will always depend on the situation that your organisation is in. Together with other leaders, you should determine which among your open positions are key roles that require to be filled in a timely manner and how this changes in a rapidly changing work environment. 

Reduce or eliminate (when possible) nonessential external training

While training is essential for both the employees and the organisation as a whole, if circumstances land you in a spot where there isn’t enough funding for them anymore, have a look within your own workforce and see if you have subject matter experts who can fill in the gaps. 

You wouldn’t want to freeze all training altogether, but you can look into reducing the number of sessions given for the year or quarter until the funding opens back up again. 

Encourage employees to use their leave credits

This one doesn’t offer a cash benefit, but having employees use banked leave time, such as annual leave will reduce the company’s debt and exposure during a time where there may not be as many projects happening. 

This is also effective when there are new social distancing rules with office environments and could be an effective way of rotating staff in and out of the office and providing rest during stressful or tumultuous periods. 

Need help finding ways to reduce HR costs this 2021?

Redwolf + Rosch offers a range of services in addition to recruitment, such as team and workforce assessment and HR consulting. 

Contact us via office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

Unless you’re actively looking for a job, it might be easy to ignore your LinkedIn profile. And this approach is more than understandable. After all, LinkedIn isn’t exactly your typical “fun” social media platform. It’s not where you and your friends exchange memes and videos of dogs.

But truth be told, as a digital recruitment company, we know there’s a lot of benefits to be gained from ensuring that your LinkedIn profile is in top-notch shape, always updated, and the best it can be.

It can sometimes feel selfish or a little self-centred to focus on marketing ourselves, but the reality is that when we neglect personal branding, it’s also a big missed opportunity from a professional and marketing standpoint. And in the professional world, your LinkedIn Profile is the heart of your personal branding.

Choose a great photo

Some say your LinkedIn Profile is like your digital business card. Well, we think the profile photo you pick for your LinkedIn Profile is the business card of that digital business card. As visual creatures, images strike us before words do. Make sure that the first strike is a winning one.

Make your headline more just a job title

But be sure to stay on course. You can make your LinkedIn Profile headline by sharing a bit about, what you do, why you love what you do or how you view your role. The more you can be specific about why you stand out from your peers, the better. There’s no reason for you to just stick to your job title or company when writing your headline. In fact, if you’re actively looking for a job, we suggest against it. Something like “passionate about designing great user experiences” or “helping to develop world-class mobile applications” or “project manager, pet lover, amateur basketball player” are all great examples of a LinkedIn headline.

Get more out of your target job descriptions

When you’re scoping out the platform for ideal jobs, keep note of the job descriptions that you come across. The words that stand out the most are the ones that most recruiters likely use when they’re looking for talent like yourself. You can create a browser folder and save the links for jobs you apply for as shortcuts in that folder so when someone calls you back you are not left asking them what job they are referring to (because you have applied for so many).

Write a winning About Section (FKA Summary Section)

An ideal LinkedIn Profile About section should walk the reader through your key skills, work passions, unique qualifications, and a range of industries you’ve been exposed to over the years. You should be able to cover all that in about 3 to 5 short paragraphs. Make sure to include something about your values and personality, remember that recruiters and employers look for a culture fit, not just a technical fit.

Steer clear of buzzwords

And when we say steer clear of them, we really mean avoid them like the plague. We’re talking about words like expert, entrepreneur, industry leader, guru, experienced, skilled, motivated, strategic, passionate and other similar ones. These words are the most overused words on LinkedIn. And if you ask us, we think you can do way better than that. Try to be more specific around what you do and what value you can bring to a potential employer.

Write as if you’re talking to your target recruiters

It’s easy to consider your LinkedIn Profile as if it were a CV or a resume. And in some ways, it is. But never in the sense that it’s a piece of paper with information about your professional life, and not much else. Try to tell a story to the reader, make it interesting and compelling and include contact information to make it easy for people to reach you.

Don’t forget to highlight your achievements

Effective recruiters know to target high performers when they’re looking for talent on LinkedIn. So it would be in your best interest to highlight your achievements and accomplishments on the About and Experiences section of your LinkedIn Profile. Highlight accomplishments such as promotions, times you’ve been handpicked for projects, contributions to the team and company and what you’re great at doing. This is the place to showcase your strengths and attributes.

Bonus: Get a custom URL

When you first sign up for a LinkedIn account, you are assigned a clunky combination of numbers as your URL. From a marketing viewpoint, it would be much easier to publicise yourself if your URL is custom (think: LinkedIn.com/YourName) not to mention it just looks cooler and has a more “official” feel to it.

Need some extra tips to improve your LinkedIn profile? Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

It’s no secret that employee turnover is expensive. So wouldn’t it be nicer if it covered just a small part of the pie? But the reality isn’t nearly as neat because according to 47% of HR professionals, employee retention is their biggest talent management challenge, followed closely by recruitment at 36%.

Not only is poor employee retention going to hit your company as a financial strain and affect your bottom line, but it will also cause quite a bit of a mess structurally.

What kind of impact will the departure of one colleague have on the rest of your staff? We all know that when someone we work with walks out the door, we notice their absence, especially if that person is key to a project or a team. It can even make some wonder if it’s time for them to pack their things and get going too. Mass exodus can occur from time to time.

There’s also the urgent task of finding a worthy replacement for your newly open role. Not a very easy thing to do in a market where skilled professionals are high in demand and on the low side when it comes to supply.

And lastly, you have to tackle all these challenges on top of your usual daily responsibilities…

So how do you improve employee retention?

Here are some tips on building and implementing the right retention strategies for your company.

How to improve employee retention

Retention starts during recruitment

Your retention strategy should start from the beginning. From the application process and the screening of applicants to choosing who to interview and deciding who to hire. And all of that needs to be backed by identifying which values and what aspects of cultures you want to emphasise and then seeking those out in candidates.

Ensure that compensation and benefits are competitive

Offering financial awards for employees who exceed performance goals, flexible work schedules, holiday entitlement, stock options, life insurance, and generous paid leave policies, on top of offering competitive compensation, can go a long way in ensuring that employees feel that they are valued by the company.

Employees need leaders, not “bosses”

People follow leaders, not bosses. But how exactly do you become a leader and not just a boss?

The first step is ensuring that you are available to your employees, which goes beyond just offering the phrase “open-door policy”. After all, it’s not uncommon for people to feel uncomfortable about giving feedback and criticism for fear of reprisal or embarrassment, even when there’s an open-door policy in place.

The key to this is actively creating an open rapport among your employees. No need to try to be best friends with everyone, but taking the time to be friendly and genuinely engaged with your employees is definitely a necessary step in the path to becoming a real leader.

Ongoing mentorship, training, and clear paths to career advancement

Prioritise investing in your employees’ professional development and growth by providing ongoing training and mentorship. And all of that should go hand in hand with promotions from within, which will provide clear paths towards better compensation and greater responsibility, and will also help make employees feel that they’re a crucial part of the company and its success.

Recognition and Rewards System

Who doesn’t like being appreciated, recognised, or rewarded for the hard work that they do? So make it a habit to express your gratitude to your direct reports when they go the extra mile. It could be as simple as a genuine thank you email or something more memorable like a gift card or an extra day off. Some companies even set up formal rewards systems that incentivise great work and helpful ideas.

Showing your employees that the hard work they do is more than just appreciated, but actually helps the company reach its goals and targets, can do plenty in keeping employees feeling motivated.

Keep a Close Watch On Your Managers

It’s not that uncommon: You ask a friend why they left their most recent job, and they spend the next half hour telling you stories about how much of a bad experience it was working with their former superiors.

The saying “people leave managers, not companies” isn’t that much of a reach. After all, people follow as they are led, and a bad manager can create a negative mess even in the most positive of spaces. So while you’re training your managers on the technical skills that their positions require, make sure you train them on them their soft skills too. This might include conflict management, how to encourage and motivate different personalities, crisis and stress management, and so on.

Flexible Working Arrangements

Flexible working arrangements are becoming more and more commonplace at companies and offices, and the trend began well before the pandemic started wreaking havoc across cities all over the world.

It will be in your company’s best interest to offer more flexible working schedules for your employees as it has been proven to be a major stress reliever (and retention booster) for office workers. Compressed schedules where employees work four 10-hour days a week (instead of 5 8 hour days a week), or flextime where people are required to be on the clock for a specific schedule daily, are both common flexible working arrangements that many companies offer their workforce.

Need to talk to someone about improving employee retention in 2021? Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

Why is compassion so powerful? Because it’s about mindset. If you approach a situation with a specific mindset, the likely outcome of that situation is highly dependent on the mindset of the individuals involved.

Imagine this, a new employee or team member messes up a major presentation and risks losing the pitch or the client. Your blood boils as you get upset, you say to yourself “they really should have known better, they said they’ve done this before” Imbecile! I’m going to let them have a piece of my mind.

So after the presentation, you decide you are going to have a “word” with them. Except, you are going into this little chat with an agitated mindset. To try to bring success and positivity from that mindset is going to be hard because once we have the inertia of emotion it takes conscious effort to change it. As you go at them for messing up the presentation, the likely response of this person will be defensiveness (people are forced to defend themselves when they feel attacked, it’s human nature) and then you will want to attack more because you feel they are not “getting it”. The situation might escalate, you might be victorious in this battle and they might leave slightly deflated after the encounter with their confidence lowered and their motivation shot for the rest of the day, if not the rest of the week. Then you may feel regret or remorse afterwards because winning this battle didn’t actually make you feel any better.

Now picture this, you think to yourself, this person really stuffed up the presentation….but you know they usually work hard and are committed to the team and the work you do. You think to yourself “I wonder if they are ok? I wonder if perhaps they were nervous or something was going on for them that made them drop the ball?”

You engage with your compassionate self and then you approach them. You might say something like.. “hey are you ok? I noticed you were quite nervous during that presentation, how do you feel that went? Do you want to talk about it?” Is there anything I could have done to help you prepare better?”

The likelihood of a positive outcome from a compassionate conversation is much higher. This person knows that you, as their people leader/manager cares about them. Not only will this increase their confidence but also their resolve to make sure the next presentation is better than the last because they don’t want to let you or themselves or the team down.

People are smart, they will know when they are winning and they will know when they dropped the ball. The outcome of genuine compassion in conversations, especially when something went wrong, will create a feeling of safety and support within your team and will actually encourage higher performance in the long run.

It’s one of the most powerful mindset changes I’ve seen in businesses and time and time again, those with high levels of compassion (read EQ) tend to have tighter knit and better-performing teams.

If you’ve experienced compassion or lack of compassion in the workplace, share your experiences below and let’s all encourage more compassion in the workplace.

Peace, Bart

Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.

It’s 2020 and you can easily post a job online, whether it’s via your corporate website, job listing websites, or even LinkedIn. So why use a recruitment agency to fill the position your company needs? There’s more than one reason why a recruitment agency is more than helpful in finding your next hire. We’ve enumerated the benefits of using a recruitment agency.

Recruiters Save the Company Time and Money

Finding a great hire doesn’t need to take away time and effort from managers and company leaders. Reviewing resumes, funnelling candidates, and interviewing can be highly time-consuming.

Instead of having the hiring process distract employees who can be focusing on their main responsibilities, turning over recruitment to the experts will ease the process for everyone and keep the managers on top of their everyday workload.

Recruiters Keep Employers Focused on Work

While the company saves time and money with the help of recruiters, employers can focus on what they do best, getting all the job done without having to worry about the hiring process.

Unless hiring great employees is in the company’s core competency, there is no reason for the company to shoulder the intricacies of hiring. Having the right recruitment agency by your side will definitely ensure this.

Specialised Recruiters are Experts

Recruiters who are experienced in the same industry your company is in have better chances in finding recruits with the specific specialised skill set you are looking for. They understand industry jargon, know what to look for in CVs in terms of accomplishments, and know the candidate’s language fluently. It will be easy for specialised recruiters to find candidates that are qualified versus those who are not.

Recruiters Attract the Best Talent

After carefully processing the job description you’ve provided, recruiters know where to exactly look. Whether the best hire for the position to fill is actively or passively looking for new opportunities, qualified recruiters know where to find them.

More often than not, the most qualified talent you are looking for isn’t looking for a new position. They’re out and about working for another company. Great recruiters know how to approach and use their network as leverage when introducing hires to great opportunities like working for your company.

Recruiters Take Less Time to Fill Roles

Having a position open can be costly to your company and can affect productivity within the organisation. You may have spread the responsibilities of this one open position to different employees, or they are being totally ignored. Instead of maximizing one position, this can cause loss of productivity within the team.

Recruiters are giving 100% finding the right person to fill the position needed, and are only focused on finding qualified candidates. This means their commitment, expertise and established networks make it easier to fill the roles in less time.

Many top organisations benefit from niche and specialised recruitment partnerships. With the right recruitment agency, you can speed up your time to hire, find better people and focus on growing your business.

Ready to find your next great hire? As one of the most effective recruitment agencies in Melbourne, Adelaide & Brisbane, we’d love to help you grow your business.

Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.